A Guide to Drawing Female Superheroes Without Objectifying Them, Because Hey It Isn’t Just Fantasy

I wept in joy when The Incredibles (2004) hit the screen. Not only is it a superhero movie with a heartwarming narrative, it also has one great superpower – realistic costumes for its women. Here was a movie where the female superhero actually had a costume that suited function over glamour. No double DD push up corsets, no heels (WHAT IS EVEN THE POINT OF HEELS FOR A SUPERHERO???) and no objectifying angles.

But, sadly, The Incredibles is an exception. The objectification of female heroes in comics is legendary. In conversations of trying to de-objectify female heroes, we often hear arguments like ‘hey, but it’s just fantasy’ and ‘it won’t be just as interesting without the sexy angle’. But comic book writer and artist Renae De Liz disagrees.

In a Twitter thread, she has listed a guide for drawing female superhero characters without objectifying them.

Q: As an artist, what can I consider if I want to de-objectify & add power to female characters? Tips in this thread pic.twitter.com/DEKF1p6YFd

Liz’s reimagined Power Girl reflects functionality and power. She has drawn comparisons between a traditional sketch of Power Girl and how drawing her differently, without changing her outfit can go miles in putting the focus back on the superpower and personality in female superheroes, rather than their sexuality.

She addresses a very important point of breast support. Have you never wondered how female superheroes are supposed to save the day with supposedly large breasts with little to no support, as shown in general comics?

2(R): Whats REALISTIC for your hero? Athletes need major support (i.e sports bra) which have a diff. look. Consider not ALL heroes have DD’s

One of the best things about her thread is how she compassionately draws people into her reasons rather than shaming other artists who have taken the more traditional route. If only more artists could think and work like this, it would not only enhance the comic book experience for a lot of readers but also be educative to a younger audience (who form a large portion of comic book readership) on lessons in respecting women everywhere.